The Patient Experience of the #Hellomynameis... Campaign and the Value of Personalised Embroidered Student Uniforms

Background: The #hellomynameis... campaign was an international initiative implemented to improve Person Centred Practice by increasing the number of health professionals who introduce themselves to every patient and place them at the centre of each interaction. To add to this campaign, the idea of personalised uniforms for undergraduate health care students was introduced at one University in the UK, embroidered with the #hellomynameis...logo and their name. This paper will present findings from a study that explored this initiative from the patient perspective. Methods: A case study research design was used, with semi-structured questionnaires consisting of open and closed questions to gain quantitative and qualitative data. A purposive sample was used, consisting of 44 participants, representative of five clinical areas within one NHS Trust. The data was collected over a 6-week period and included patients who had been in hospital over 48 hours. Findings and conclusions: The quantitative data was overwhelmingly positive with 93% of participants agreeing that the #hellomynameis... campaign should be utilised in all healthcare environments and 82% felt that the visible reminder of the campaign was helpful for patients and positively influenced their care. The qualitative data showed that the logo and personalisation was seen as symbolic to patients as a reminder that introductions and patient interactions are fundamental to their experience. They saw these introductions as a gateway to conversation, a key aspect of PCP and inclusive care and an important catalyst for a therapeutic relationship, contributing to feelings of a comforting, human experience in hospital.